JP6077525B2 - Iron with steam operation button - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an iron having an ironing surface that is in thermal contact with a heating element having an evaporation chamber, and more particularly, water that communicates with the evaporation chamber through a water supply circuit having a closing means operated by a steam operation button. The present invention relates to an iron provided with a tank.

  Patent Document 1 discloses an iron including an ironing surface, a heating element including an evaporation chamber for generating steam, and a water tank communicating with the evaporation chamber by a water supply circuit including a shut-off valve operated by a steam lever. ing.

  Such an iron has the advantage that an iron that generates steam in response to a user's operation can be obtained and that the iron can be cleared without the risk of spilling water.

  However, such an iron is likely to spill water from the steam outlet hole of the hook surface when the user presses the steam lever when the hook surface temperature is too low to evaporate the water fed through the shut-off valve. It has the disadvantage that it can be.

  Furthermore, such irons have the disadvantage that steam or water cannot be quickly soaked into clothing at the time of ironing where wrinkles are particularly difficult to stretch.

British Patent Application No. 2327950

  Accordingly, one of the objects of the present invention is to propose an iron that has improved these drawbacks and that is particularly excellent in ergonomics during use.

  Therefore, the present invention is an iron including a tank and an ironing surface that is in thermal contact with a heating element including an evaporation chamber for generating steam, and the tank includes closing means that is operated by a steam operation button. When the steam operation button is operated, the closing means moves to the open position to pass water through the water supply circuit, and when the user releases the steam operation button, the closing means is returned by the return means. In an iron which is automatically returned to a closed position and the closing means interrupts the circulation of water, the water supply circuit is provided with a drop prevention valve operated by a heat-deformable element attached to the heating element. Is targeted.

  According to one aspect of the present invention, the heat deformable element is designed such that the drop prevention valve is opened when the temperature of the evaporation chamber exceeds a predetermined threshold, and the opening of the drop prevention valve is a steam operation. This is done independently of the button operation.

  According to another feature of the invention, the sag prevention valve is arranged upstream of the closing means.

  According to another characteristic of the invention, the water supply circuit comprises a first part in communication with the outside air between the drips prevention valve and the closing means, and the iron draws water from that first part of the water supply circuit. At least one pump adapted for pumping is provided.

  According to yet another aspect of the present invention, the pump is connected to a sub-evaporation chamber that allows the generation of additional steam toward a limited number of steam outlet holes provided in the hanging surface.

  According to another feature of the invention, the pump is connected to a nozzle that can eject mist in front of the iron.

  According to another feature of the invention, the water supply circuit is a drip valve that includes a nozzle joint and a rod movable relative to the nozzle joint, and is capable of adjusting the flow rate of water fed into the evaporation chamber. A drip valve is provided.

  According to another feature of the invention, the closing means comprises a valve independent of the drip valve, which is arranged on the water supply circuit between the sag prevention valve and the drip valve.

  According to another feature of the invention, the heating element comprises an electrical resistor regulated by a thermostat associated with a set temperature regulating button on the hanging surface, and the drip valve is in various positions corresponding to various steam flow rates. The iron is provided with connecting means for connecting the drip valve and the thermostat adjustment button so that the position of the drip valve corresponds to the position of the adjustment button of the thermostat.

  According to another feature of the invention, the water supply circuit comprises a second part between the closing means and the drip valve, the second part being airtight and watertight.

  These features allow the water flow through the drip valve to stop immediately when the closing means is in the closed position, and thus stop steam generation almost simultaneously with releasing the steam operating button.

  According to another feature of the invention, the steam operating button comprises a lever located under the grip handle.

  According to still another aspect of the present invention, the iron is a cordless iron that is placed on a power supply stand when the ironing is stopped and can exchange energy with the power supply stand.

  The present invention also relates to an ironing apparatus including the cordless iron as described above and a power supply stand on which the iron can be placed when the ironing is stopped.

  According to another characteristic of the invention, the heating element of the cordless iron is made of cast aluminum and has a weight of more than 550 g.

  These characteristics ensure that the iron can be used continuously without power at an average steam flow of about 30 g / min.

  According to still another feature of the present invention, the power supply stand includes a base on which the hooking surface of the cordless iron is placed when the ironing is stopped, and a stopper at one end of the base and including an electrical connector. Is bordered by an access gradient over the entire circumference of the base other than the portion occupied by the stopper.

Objects, aspects and advantages of the present invention will be better understood from the following description of specific embodiments of the present invention, given by way of non-limiting example with reference to the accompanying drawings.
1 is a side view of an ironing device according to a specific embodiment of the present invention. It is a perspective view of the ironing device of Drawing 1 in the state where an iron was separated from a power supply stand. 2 is a perspective view of the iron of FIG. 1 with a thermostat, a drip valve, and a shut-off valve associated with the lever visible through the casing. FIG. It is a perspective view of the connecting device which connects a dripping valve and a thermostat adjustment button when a thermostat adjustment button exists in a low temperature position. It is a perspective view of the connecting device that connects the drip valve and the thermostat adjustment button when the thermostat adjustment button is in the high temperature position. It is a partial notch perspective view of the iron of FIG. FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the iron at the position of FIG. 1 with the lever released. FIG. 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the iron at the position of FIG. 1 with the lever pulled. FIG. 6 is a transverse cross-sectional view of the iron taken along line VIII-VIII of FIG. 5 when the drips prevention valve is in the closed position. FIG. 6 is a transverse cross-sectional view of the iron taken along line VIII-VIII in FIG. 5 when the drips prevention valve is in the open position.

  Only the elements necessary for an understanding of the present invention are shown in the drawings. To facilitate understanding of the drawings, the same elements are given the same reference numerals in the respective drawings.

  1 and 2 show an ironing device comprising a cordless iron 1 with an ironing surface 2 on which a casing 10 with a gripping handle 11 covers, the iron 1 being like an ironing board A power supply stand 100 having a lower surface for mounting on a table, which is linked to a power supply stand 100 including a power cord 101 (shown only in FIG. 2) that allows electrical connection to a household power source.

  The power supply stand 100 includes an elongated base 102 on which the ironing surface 2 is placed when the ironing is stopped, and a complementary provided at the rounded rear end of the iron 1 when the iron 1 is placed on the base 102. And a stopper 103 including an electrical connector 104 for mating with a shaped electrical plug (not visible in the figure).

  Advantageously, the power supply stand 100 is provided with a fixing clamp 105 that enables fixing to the support base, and the base 102 is edged by an access gradient over the entire circumference of the base other than the portion occupied by the stopper 103. 102 has a convex upper surface provided with a knob-like portion 106 arranged in front of the base and two rollers 107 arranged in the vicinity of the stopper 103, and the knob-like portion 106 and the two rollers 107 are provided with power supply. Therefore, when the iron 1 is brought on the base 102, three supporting points on which the hanging surface 2 is placed are formed.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, the ironing surface 2 is in close contact with a heating element 3 including a cast aluminum alloy covered with a metal cover 30, and the heating element 3 has an output of at least 1400 W, preferably about 2000 W. And including an electrical resistor 31 made of a tubular heating element.

  The iron heating element 3 advantageously comprises an aluminum mass of more than 550 g, preferably about 600 g, relative to the total weight of the iron of about 1500 g so as to provide a large energy storage capacity.

  As can be seen from FIG. 3, a thermostat 4 associated with a rotary adjustment button 40 accessible on the iron casing 10 is arranged on the heating element 3, and this adjustment button 40 is connected to the grip handle 11. Arranged below, the user can select the set temperature of the hanging surface 2.

  The adjustment button 40 of the thermostat is advantageously connected by a connecting arm 41 and a drip valve 5 which opens through the nozzle of the cover in an evaporation chamber 32 for generating steam incorporated in the heating element 3 (FIG. 5). 6 and 6), the drip valve 5 is a rod 50 that can move in the axial direction in the guide sleeve 12 integrated with the casing 10 and is attached to the nozzle of the cover 30. The rod 50 is provided with a lower end with a groove 51 that allows a constant flow of water to pass through the calibrated dropping valve 5 according to the degree of pushing of the rod 50 in the nozzle joint 52.

  4A and 4B, the connecting arm 41 has an L-shaped body that is rotatably attached to a base frame 42 that is integral with the casing 10, and the connecting arm 41 is a rod of a dropping valve. The connecting shaft 53 of the connecting shaft 53 attached to the rod 50 has a first end connected to the rod 50 by two branches extending on both sides of the rod 50, and a horizontally long hole 41 </ b> A provided in each branch. When the end portions are engaged, the rotation of the connecting arm 41 with respect to the base frame 42 causes the movement of the rod 50 in the axial direction with respect to the nozzle joint 52.

  The connecting arm 41 further includes a second end provided with an operation pawl 43 that is mounted on a spiral track 44 provided on a piece 45 that rotates in conjunction with the adjustment button 40 by a gear train. The shape is adapted so that the rotation of the adjustment button and thus the rotation of the piece 45 results in the pivoting of the connecting arm 41 and the axial movement of the rod 50 of the drip valve 5.

  FIG. 4A shows an adjustment button 40 of the thermostat when the set temperature of the hooking surface 2 is about 105 ° C. as an example. At that time, the rod of the drip valve is in the low position as shown in FIG. Thus, it is possible to obtain a water flow rate of about 5 g / min passing through the dropping valve 5. On the other hand, FIG. 4B shows the adjustment button 40 of the thermostat when the set temperature of the hooking surface 2 is about 250 ° C. At this time, the rod 50 of the drip valve is in the high position as shown in FIG. Thus, it is possible to obtain a maximum water flow of about 35 g / min with the iron lifted.

  Naturally, the thermostat adjustment button 40 can occupy an intermediate position between the two extreme positions described above. In this case, the position of the rod 50 of the drip valve is when the set temperature of the hooking surface 2 is about 140 ° C. Is automatically adapted to provide a water flow rate of about 15 g / min and a water flow rate of about 25 g / min when the set temperature of the hanging surface 2 is about 200 ° C.

  As shown in FIGS. 5 to 7, the steam generated in the evaporation chamber 32 is discharged in a known manner by a steam distribution circuit that opens to a steam outlet hole 20 provided in the hanging surface 2, and the iron casing 10 is connected to the water supply circuit. The water tank 13 communicates with the evaporation chamber 32 through the water tank 13 and has an inlet closed by a rotary hatch 14 arranged on the front surface of the iron.

  The supply circuit of the evaporation chamber 32 is provided with a drip valve 5 at one of its ends, and is operated on the upstream side of the drip valve 5 by a lever 60 that is automatically returned to a rest position by a return spring 61. With a stop valve 6, the lever 60 is advantageously located below the handle 11 of the iron so that it can be easily operated with the index finger.

  The shut-off valve 6 includes an operating rod 62 having a lower end having a seal 63 that is returned to the closed position shown in FIG. 6 by a return spring 64. In the closed position, the lip of the seal 63 is connected to the flow path port 15A of the water supply circuit. Is pressed against the seat 15 that borders the water, and the circulation of water through the water supply circuit of the evaporation chamber 32 is prevented.

  The operation rod 62 of the shutoff valve 6 has an upper end connected to the end of the lever 60 via a shaft 65, and the lever 60 is rotatable around a shaft 16 provided on the grip handle 11. When the operating rod 62 is moved downward against the return spring 64 by the operation of the lever 60 and the closing valve 6 is moved to the open position shown in FIG. , The seal 63 is pulled away from the seat 15 that borders the channel opening, thereby allowing water to flow from the tank 13 through the channel port 15A, while releasing the lever 60, the lever 60 automatically moves to the rest position. Returning to FIG. 2, the closing valve 6 is closed.

  The water supply circuit further includes a drop prevention valve 7 (shown in FIG. 8) disposed at a portion where the water supply circuit at the bottom of the tank 13 starts. The drop prevention valve 7 is returned to the closed position shown in FIG. In the closed position, the upper end of the dripping prevention valve 7 closes the flow path port 13A, and the first water supply circuit between the tank 13 and the tank 13 to the stop valve 6 in the water supply circuit. The flow of water toward the portion 13B is obstructed.

  As shown in FIG. 9, the dripping prevention valve 7 can be moved to the open position by a small cylinder 71 disposed under the dripping prevention valve 7, and the heat shielding wall 17 separating the heating element 3 and the tank 13. The small cylinder 71 slidably attached to the heat generating body 3 is moved by a heat-deformable element comprising a bimetal 72 attached to the heating element 3, and the bimetal 72 is disposed inside the evaporation chamber 32. Is designed to be deformed when the temperature reaches a temperature sufficient for steam generation, that is, to exceed 100 ° C., so that the dripping prevention valve 7 can be opened.

  Preferably, the first part 13B of the water supply circuit has a branch 13C for the pumping of the first manual pump 8 enabling the generation of additional steam, facilitating its pumping. For this purpose, the first part 13B of the water supply circuit is connected to the outside air by a vent, which advantageously exists at various mechanism levels that guide the movement of the operating rod 62 in the casing 10. Constructed by play.

  The first pump 8 is a first button 80 disposed in the upper front part of the grip handle 11 and opens to the sub-evaporation chamber 33 incorporated in the heating element 3 in the immediate vicinity of the electric resistor 31 ( Can be operated by a first button 80 that can feed water into the conduit 81 (partially visible in FIGS. 5 and 6), and the second evaporation chamber 33 is arranged at the front of the hanging surface It communicates with a limited number of steam outlet holes 20 in a known manner.

  The iron further includes a second manual pump 9 having an introduction pipe 91 (shown in FIG. 9) that opens directly into the tank 13, and the second pump 9 is arranged next to the first button 80. It can be operated by the provided second button 90 and is connected to a spray nozzle 92 (shown in FIGS. 5 and 6) disposed on the front surface of the iron 1 by a pipe line (not shown).

  The operation of the ironing device thus realized will be described below.

  When ironing, the user fills the tank 13 with water, connects the power cord 101 of the power supply stand 100 to a household outlet, and places the iron 1 connected to the power supply stand 100. Then, the resistor 31 of the heating element 3 is supplied with power by the electrical connector of the power supply stand 100, and the temperature of the heating element 3 rapidly rises due to the high output electrical resistor 31. When the temperature of the hanging surface 2 reaches the set temperature selected by the adjustment button 40, the thermostat 4 is opened and the pilot lamp of the iron 1 is turned on, so that the hanging surface 2 reaches the set temperature and the iron 1 is used. Inform users that they are ready.

  When ironing with steam, the user only has to push the lever 60, thereby moving the shut-off valve 6 to the open position shown in FIG. 7 and from the tank 13 in the first part 13B of the water supply circuit. Water flows into the second portion 13D of the water supply circuit between the shutoff valve 6 and the dripping valve 5, the water in the second portion 13D flows at a flow rate defined by the position of the dripping valve 5, that is, It flows into the evaporation chamber 32 at a flow rate automatically determined by the position of the adjustment button 40 of the thermostat 4 so as to be suitable for the set temperature of the hanging surface 2.

  When the user releases the lever 60, for example, to change the position of clothing or when the iron 1 is placed on the power supply stand 100, the lever 60 and the shutoff valve 6 are moved to the return springs 61 of the lever 60 and the operating rod 62, respectively. The combined action of 64 automatically returns to the closed position, and water cannot flow through the flow path port 15A, and water supply from the tank 13 to the second portion 13D of the water supply circuit is not performed. Therefore, the water supply to the evaporation chamber 32 by the water supply circuit is lost, and the generation of steam by the evaporation chamber 32 is interrupted.

  In order to obtain a steam interruption almost simultaneously with the release of the lever 60, a seal 54 is preferably provided between the rod 50 of the drip valve 5 and the guide sleeve 12, so that the water supply circuit of the evaporation chamber 32 is provided. By providing the second portion 13D with airtightness, the flow of water stored in the second portion 13D of the water supply circuit is immediately interrupted when the stop valve 6 is closed.

  When the user wants an additional amount of steam instantaneously, for example, when performing difficult work, the user only needs to operate the first pump 8 by pressing the button 80-a predetermined amount of water-about several milliliters- Can be fed into the sub-evaporation chamber 33 to obtain additional vapor discharge, which is radiated through a limited number of vapor outlet holes 20 located in front of the hanging surface 2. The user can also use water mist to wet the garment, and can obtain the mist at any time through the nozzle 92 by pressing the button 90 and manually operating the second pump 9.

  If the user performs a relatively long ironing of more than 1 minute with a large steam flow without placing the iron 1 on the power supply stand 100, the temperature of the heating element 3 gradually decreases, and finally the temperature of the evaporation chamber 32. Will not be able to generate steam.

  In that case, just before reaching the limit temperature at which evaporation cannot be achieved, as shown in FIG. 8, the bimetal 72 is deformed and the dripping prevention valve 7 is closed, whereby the first part 13B and the second part of the water supply circuit are closed. Only a small amount of water in the portion 13D can flow into the evaporation chamber 32 to prevent water droplets from flowing out from the outlet hole 20 of the hanging surface. Furthermore, since the dripping prevention valve 7 is closed, even if the user operates the button 80 many times, a small amount of water in the first portion 13B of the water supply circuit can be pumped at most. It is also possible to prevent a quantity of water from being fed into the sub-evaporation chamber 33 due to the generation of steam.

  Naturally, the iron supplements the mechanical solution described above, and when the temperature of the heating element 3 is insufficient to efficiently perform the ironing operation, the iron 1 is attached to the power supply stand 100. A visual or audible indicator could be provided, such as a flashing lamp that is activated to alert the user that it needs to be placed.

  The ironing device realized in this way makes it possible to store a large amount of energy when the iron is placed on the base of the power supply stand when the ironing is stopped, and the presence of a lever capable of improving the performance of continuous use without power supply. The presence of a large lump of aluminum in the iron results in a cordless steam iron that can provide a large steam flow rate in excess of 30 g / min while maintaining high continuous use performance between power supplies at the stand. With advantages. In addition, the fact that the rear edge of the iron is rounded so that the iron cannot be stood vertically down has the advantage of prompting the user to place the iron on a power stand during ironing pauses. .

  Finally, the ironing device realized in this way is one of the bases of the iron from the ironing board by simply applying a tensile stress to the handle without lifting the iron, regardless of the weight of the iron. It can be done simply by sliding in one access ramp direction, and has the advantage of ergonomic height in use that limits fatigue when ironing, access tilt in various directions The presence of this provides a great degree of freedom in the operation of the ironing approach to the power supply stand, as well as a great range of choices regarding the orientation of the power supply stand on the ironing board.

  It will be appreciated that the embodiments described and illustrated herein are merely examples and the present invention is not limited thereto. It is possible to make changes to it without departing from the area protected by the present invention, especially in terms of the configuration of the various elements, or through replacement by technical equivalents.

  Thus, in one variant of the invention, the iron could be equipped with an electrical cord for connection to an outlet so that it can be used without a power supply stand.

Claims (12)

An iron (1) comprising a water tank (13) and an ironing surface (2) in thermal contact with a heating element (3) including an evaporation chamber (32), the tank (13) being steam The water supply circuit having a closing means (6) operated by an operation button (60) communicates with the evaporation chamber (32), and the steam operating button (60) is operated in the closing means (6). When the user releases the steam operation button (60) by moving to the open position and passing water through the water supply circuit, the return means (64) automatically returns the closed position to the closed position (6). In the iron (1) that interrupts the circulation of water, the water supply circuit is a heat-deformable element (72) attached to the heating element (3), and the temperature of the evaporation chamber (32) is a predetermined value. The drop prevention valve (7) opens when the threshold is exceeded The drop-preventing valve (7) operated by a heat-deformable element (72) designed so as to open the drop-preventing valve (7) is the operation of the steam operation button (60). Done independently ,
The dripping prevention valve (7) is arranged upstream of the closing means (6),
The water supply circuit includes a first portion (13B) communicating with the outside air between the drop prevention valve (7) and the closing means (6), and the iron (1) includes the water supply circuit. Iron (1), characterized in that it comprises at least one pump (8, 9) adapted to pump water from said first part (13B ). The pump (8) is connected to a sub-evaporation chamber (33) that allows the generation of additional steam towards a limited number of steam outlet holes (20) provided in the hanging surface (2). Iron according to claim 1, characterized in that (1). The pump (9), the iron according to claim 1, characterized in that connected to the nozzle (92) capable of ejecting a mist in front of (1) Iron (1). The water supply circuit is a dripping valve (5) including a nozzle joint (52) and a rod (50) movable with respect to the nozzle joint (52), and water to be fed into the evaporation chamber (32). Iron (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , characterized in that it comprises a drip valve (5) capable of adjusting the flow rate. The closing means (6) is a valve independent of the dripping valve (5), and the closing means (6) is on the water supply circuit between the dripping prevention valve (7) and the dripping valve (5). Iron (1) according to claim 4 , characterized in that it is arranged. The heating element (3) includes an electric resistor (31) adjusted by a thermostat (4) linked to a set temperature adjustment button (40) of the hanging surface (2), and the dripping valve (5) ) Is movable between various positions corresponding to various steam flow rates, and the iron (1) corresponds the position of the dripping valve (5) to the position of the adjustment button (40) of the thermostat (4). The iron (1) according to claim 4 or 5 , further comprising connecting means (41) for connecting the dripping valve (5) and the adjusting button (40) of the thermostat. The water supply circuit has a second portion (13D) between the closing means (6) and the dripping valve (5).
The iron (1) according to any one of claims 4 to 6 , characterized in that the second part (13D) is airtight and watertight. The iron (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 7 , characterized in that the steam operating button (60) comprises a lever located under the grip handle (11). Is placed at the ironing rest to the power supply stand (100), in any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that a cordless iron you allow the energy exchange between the feeding stand Iron (1) as described. The ironing device with a cordless iron (1) according to claim 9 , further comprising a power supply stand (100) on which the iron (1) can be placed when the ironing is stopped. The ironing device according to claim 10 , characterized in that the heating element (3) is made of cast aluminum and has a weight of more than 550 g. The power supply stand (100) includes a base (102) on which the hooking surface (2) of the cordless iron (1) is placed when ironing is stopped, and an electric connector (104) at one end of the base (102). The base (102) is edged by an access gradient over the entire circumference of the base (102) other than the portion occupied by the stopper (103). The ironing device according to claim 10 or 11 .

Images